The Five Times Simmons Kissed Fitz (And The One Time Fitz Kissed Simmo
by Madam Mare
Summary: When she pulled away moments later, she had to remind herself how to breathe, and to try to forget about how perfect Fitz's lips felt against her own.
1. Chapter 1

xxxx

i.

"You're so cute!" Simmons slurred as she slapped at Fitz's chest as he walked her back to their off campus apartment, his arm around her waist helping to keep her steady.

"And you are so drunk," he replied playfully, trying to ignore the burning at the tips of his ears. The duo were returning from an end of semester party and Simmons had uncharacteristically let loose. Fitz confined himself to a few beers to keep an eye on his best friend.

"Maybe just a little," she pinched her fingers together to demonstrate.

Fitz smirked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Okay," she relented with a giggle, "maybe a lot."

It took some finagling to get his key into the lock of their door and keep Simmons steady but when he got it open he guided her inside, "Come on you lush, lets get you to bed."

Jemma giggled and winked at him.

"Jemma Simmons," he admonished with a smile.

"My head hurts, and I have to use the loo," she whined, suddenly forgetting about her earlier giggles.

Fitz walked her to the bathroom trying not to smile, "You alright?" he removed his arm from her waist slowly to see if she was steady enough on her feet.

"Mmmhmm."

"Ok, I'll be right back with some aspirin."

Simmons carefully made her way into the bathroom and Fitz hurried away to grab a bottle of water and aspirin. When he returned, Jemma was making her way out of the bathroom, she had somehow lost a boot and sock along the way and her hair was sticking up rather adorably. Fitz offered her the pills which she gladly accepted and then proceeded to help her to bed. Her gait was now even more off since losing one of her heeled boots. Reaching her room, he leaned down to flip back her sheets before helping her sit on the edge of the mattress.

"Fitz?"

"Yeah Jem?" Leo looked up from his task of removing her remaining boot and sock.

"You're my best friend in the whole world," Simmons said solemnly.

"And you're mine too," Fitz smiled and squeezed her knee.

"I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't met you. You make me feel whole and special. You just get me and I just really love you. Like a lot. Like a lot a lot, like more than I love Curly Wurly's or tea," she rambled with tears in her eyes.

"More than Curly Wurly's and tea, huh?" Fitz tried to derail her emotional babble.

Jemma put one hand on his cheek and nodded seriously.

"Jemma?" Fitz' voice caught in his throat when he noticed how Jemma was looking at him. Before he knew it Jemma had pulled him to her and her lips were on his, her tongue tracing his lips.

She tasted like cheap whiskey and something decidedly just Jemma and Fitz knew then and there that he would never be happy kissing anyone else.

"Jemma, we can't," he pulled back regretfully.

She reached for him again, "Why not?" she whined.

"Not when you are drunk, ok?" he locked his eyes onto hers.

"Ok," she sighed and rested her forehead against his. "Fitz?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't feel well," she whispered and began to pull away.

Before Fitz could act Simmons' body convulsed slightly and she vomited on the front of his shirt, before being able to turn slightly to vomit again in her trash can.

When she finished she looked up and covered her mouth in horror, embarrassed tears filling her eyes, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…"

"It's ok," he reassured her. "Come on, lets get cleaned up."

He helped her to her feet and they shuffled back to the bathroom. Once inside, Fitz sat Jemma down on the closed toilet lid before quickly removed his soiled shirt and tossing it in the bathtub to be rinsed off later. He grabbed a wash cloth, wetting it with cool water, and helped Jemma clean up before scrubbing his own chest with it. When they were done, he tossed it into the tub beside his shirt for later laundering.

Jemma tried and failed not to stare at his bare chest or focus on the way the muscles in his back rippled under her hand as he led her back to her room.

"I'll be right back," he deposited her back onto her bed and picked up her trash can. She could hear him rinsing it out in the bathroom and when he returned with the now clean can, he also had gotten a fresh shirt and a few more bottles of water.

He placed the bottles within easy reach on her nightstand, "Do you want to change?"

Jemma nodded her head and attempted to unbutton her blouse but gave Fitz a pitiful look when she was unable to do so. Fitz began to recite the periodic table in his head as he removed Simmons shirt, leaving her in just a tank top. "That ok?"

Simmons nodded but then quietly asked, "Pants?"

Fitz tossed the periodic table out the window and began to recite pi as he unbuttoned her jeans and shimmied them down her legs, she helped to kick them off when they reached her ankles.

"Ok?"

"Ok." she nodded then paused, "Fitz?"

"Yeah Jemma?"

She struggled for words before he came to her rescue, "I'll be right here."

Simmons snuggled down into her pillow as Fitz carefully tucked her in and flicked off her light. She wished the room would stop spinning. She blindly flung out one hand, searching for Fitz. When she found his hand and clasped it in her own, suddenly the room seemed much steadier. Simmons closed her eyes with a relaxed sigh and allowed sleep to overtake her.

xxxx

ii.

"Merry Christmas!" Skye squealed excitedly as Fitz and Simmons entered the common area of the bus together.

"Happy Christmas Skye!" Jemma replied with a grin as she and Fitz emptied their arms of the wrapped presents they were holding.

"Hey Fitz, look up," Skye jerked her head towards the ceiling of the bus.

Fitz frowned in confusion and then followed her gaze, his face reddening when he saw no doubt what Skye herself had planted there.

Simmons looked over at her partner and seeing his blush, looked up to see what his eyes were locked onto.

A sprig of mistletoe hung from the ceiling directly above them. She felt her cheeks redden as well with the implication. She knew Fitz would never make the first move and that Skye would never let them live it down it they didn't follow through. After all, it was just a silly little tradition. It didn't mean anything, right? Just like the time she had drunkenly kissed him freshman year, didn't, couldn't mean anything. They were friends. They could do this.

Simmons tried to ignore the pounding of her heart as she stepped even closer to Fitz. Happy Christmas, Fitz," she cupped his cheek with her right hand, drawing their faces nearer and then slanted her lips over his.

When she pulled away moments later, she had to remind herself how to breathe, and to try to forget about how perfect Fitz's lips felt against her own.

xxxx

iii.

After she was dismissed from Coulson's office and she had apologized to Ward, she headed straight for Fitz's bunk, their earlier brief reunion not having been long enough to properly thank him. She saw him sitting on his bunk, pillow clutched in his arms, as he stared straight ahead at the wall. Jemma silently slipped in, shutting the door behind her and sat down next to him.

"I was going to do it-"

"I know you were," she gently cut him off with a smile.

"I had the anti-serum, the shoot, everything, I just couldn't get the straps on."

"Fitz, please-" she tapped his knee, trying to get his attention.

"And you know maybe I couldn't have done the whole James Bond in midair," he plowed on, still unable to look in her direction.

"Fitz, shut up," she grinned, reaching for him but then second guessed herself, bringing her hands back to cup her chin instead, "please?"

Fitz finally stopped babbling and began to play with his fingers, still staring at an unknown spot on the wall.

"Ward did an amazing thing, yes," she began, "but it wasn't Ward by my side in the lab searching for a cure." she told him and then her voice softened, "It wasn't Ward giving me hope when I had none. It was you," she put emphasize on the you. "You're the hero," Jemma nudged his side, pleased to see a smile take over his features as he finally turned to look at her.

"Yeah?" he met her eyes and she could see he was still unsure of himself, nervously playing with his fingers.

"Yeah," she assured him with a smile. "Thank you," she lightly tapped his thigh with her finger and when Fitz nodded with a smile she leaned over and kissed his cheek. Fighting down the butterflies that the simple action brought up, she placed her hand on Fitz's knee and used it for leverage when she stood and left his bunk. Had she turned around like she wanted to before she slid his door shut behind her, she would have seen him looking lost in thought, clutching his pillow just a little bit tighter.

xxxx

iv.

"One breath, but there's two of us," Jemma was confused.

"Yeah, I've done the math," Fitz paused as he tried to catch his breath, "That's why you're taking it. You're a better swimmer than me."

"No!" she refused.

"Jemma-"

"No!," she shook her head violently, "I'm not leaving you here, thats ridiculous! We need a new plan."

"No, we're not discussing it, ok?" Fitz shook his head, willing her to understand. "You're taking it, end of story. I couldn't live if you didn't."

"Well, I feel the same way!" she argued, "There has to be another way!"

"You're taking it," he insisted.

"Why? Why would you make me do this?" she searched his eyes, desperate for answers as to why he was giving up so easily without a fight. "You're my best friend in the world!"

"Yeah, and you're more than that Jemma," he blurted out before he lost his nerve.

Jemma sucked in a shaky breath.

"And I couldn't find the courage to tell you, so please, let me show you." he was desperate to keep his tears at bay as he saw a drop slide down Jemma's cheek.

Jemma sobbed as she threw her arms around him.

"It's ok," he tried to comfort her as he wrapped his arms around her.

"No," she cried. "no," and then her hands were cradling his head and her lips were on his cheek, his forehead, his eyelids, his neck.

"Jemma," he whispered as he kissed her forehead. "Jemma, we have to hurry."

"No, no," she clung to him, her tears blinding her vision.

"Take it Jemma,"

"No!"

"Take it," he gently pulled out of her embrace.

"No," she glared down at the canister that he pressed into her hands as if it was to blame for not being enough for both of them, and then looked up to meet his teary gaze.

He offered her a brave smile, before turning and smashing his hand over the button.

"Nooooo!" she screamed as he made contact and the window burst open, icy ocean water instantly filling the pod.

She sucked in the breath of air that the canister offered and tried not to panic as she searched for Fitz in the darkness. She found him still and limp on the floor, the blast had sent him flying into the wall. She quickly looped an arm around him and began to frantically swim for the surface, praying that it wouldn't be too late.

xxxx

v.

The second Jemma was released from her hyperbaric chamber she went to the medical area in the base where Fitz and herself had been transported to in order to be with the team. He had spent time in his own hyperbaric chamber and was now laying still and pale on a hospital gurney. An oxygen cannula was hooked up to his nose, and a pulse oximetry was clipped to his finger, as well as an IV bag pumping fluid and medication into his veins.

His doctors filtered in and out of his room and updated her as they went along. Jemma clutched his hand, staring at him as the doctors spoke. Words like hypoxia, concussion, arm fracture, amnesia, hallucinations, psychosis, confusion, and personality regression bounced around her head, screaming incessantly at her, long after the doctors had left.

Coulson, May, Skye, Triplett, and even Koenig came by, but Jemma could barely find it in her to acknowledge their presence.

Three weeks had passed when Fitz finally opened his eyes. It started with a gentle twitch of his hand, clasped firmly in her own, and then his eyelashes began to flutter against his cheeks.

"Fitz?" Jemma gently called, terrified of getting her hopes up.

But then blue eyes were staring at her and three weeks of pent up emotion let loose. Tears streamed down her face, "Don't," she kissed his cheek, "you," she dropped another kiss on his temple, "ever," another to his right eyelid, "pull," his forehead, "something," his left eyelid, "like," his left temple, "that," his left cheek, "again!" she finished, finally landing a kiss where she wanted to the most. His lips were dry and cracked against her own, but she didn't care.

She pulled back to meet his eyes again and he stared back at her.

If the ocean water was like a hundred punches to the stomach, Fitz's next words were like ten thousand punches.

"Who," he began, his voice thick from not using it, "who are you?"


	2. Chapter 2

xxxx

vi.

The doctors came in and ran a slew of tests on him. Fitz didn't remember anyone on the team either, but the doctors were confident that his amnesia was due to his concussion when he hit his head against the wall of the med pod during the blast and lost consciousness. Jemma found it hard to find comfort in that when every time he looked at her, she knew he was staring into the face of a stranger.

The fact that he still acted like the Fitz that she knew and loved sometimes made it harder. He was still the boy that had been her other half after the first few months at the academy, he still loved snacking and got cranky when he was hungry or tired. And he didn't like being confined in the medical area of the base so as soon as he was strong enough, the doctors had no choice but to clear him to begin his physical therapy.

His fractured arm remained in a sling, but he had trouble keeping his other hand steady. When Jemma had first gotten over her shock of Fitz not knowing who she was, she went back to introduce herself and she brought along a cup of tea.

He had blushed when he saw her enter his room and Jemma knew her face was flushed as well, but she plowed ahead and introduced herself, telling him that they were friends, but the rest he would have to remember on his own, and offered him the mug. He reached for it, but as his fingers closed over the handle, Jemma saw the tremble and slowly removed her hand, ready to spot him if needed. When she saw the hot liquid about to spill over the top as he tried to bring in to his lips, she brought her hand back to the mug covering his hand, steadying it as he took a grateful sip.

His eyes revealed his thanks. "Just the way I like it," he marveled. Seeing her face fall he added, "But I guess you would know that."

"You'll remember soon enough," she reassured him, and herself if she was being honest.

As the days passed, he slowly began to regain strength and control over his hand, but was still confined to a wheelchair outside of physical therapy. Test confirmed that the damage was not permanent but the trauma suffered to his brain caused by the anoxia, left him with a weak and unsteady gait. He hated feeling weak and helpless so he spent as much time as allowed in therapy, reconditioning his legs. Jemma wanted to be there with him to help him even though he had a physical therapist, but it was difficult for both of them. Every time she saw him grip the padded bars and struggle to walk down the small aisle they created she felt crushing guilt overtake her. Fitz couldn't read the expression in her eyes and every time he saw her tear up he felt like he was being punched in the gut and he didn't know why. On the second week of his therapy, Jemma was pushing his chair down to the lab where they had just set up a more in depth treatment area for him.

"Stop!" Fitz suddenly exclaimed, causing Jemma to stop in her tracks.

"Fitz, what is it?"

Leo was staring out the window into a garage area where the bus was parked with the cargo ramp lowered. His eyes tracked from the ramp to the glass doors of the lab, just barely in eyesight. "I…you…you jumped out of the plane," he swiveled his head to meet her eyes.

Jemma tightened her grip on the handles of the wheelchair and tried to avoid his gaze, "You remember that?"

Leo nodded and brought a hand up to massage the back of his neck as if remembering being knocked out by her.

"Have you remembered anything else?"

"Bits and pieces of things. I remember SciOps and when we almost blew up the chem lab, and a few missions," he admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jemma whispered.

"I didn't want to tell you until it all came back."

"Oh, ok," she closed her eyes for a moment to ward off her tears and then pushed him to the door and then quietly said, "I'll be back in an hour to help you back," and then disappeared down the hall before he could say anything.

Fitz sighed and then wheeled himself into the makeshift therapy room where Trip was waiting for him.

"This is ridiculous!" Leo exclaimed fifteen minutes later, punching the balance bar in frustration.

"Come on man, you got just gotta transfer all that negative energy and use it for the right stuff," Trip encouraged him.

Fitz's eyes widened as he gasped and sank backwards into the wheelchair, "Energy. The first law of thermodynamics…no energy is created and none is destroyed…" he muttered to himself as he was suddenly awash with memories.

"Fitz? You alright man?"

"Yeah…no…Jemma, I need Jemma."

"I'll get her," Trip shot him a worried look and hurried out of the lab to find the biochemist.

"Simmons!" Trip called out, seeing her in the kitchen.

Jemma almost dropped her tea as his loud voice boomed in the small area, "Agent Triplett, whats wrong? Aren't you working with Fitz? Is he ok?" she shot questions at him, not giving him a chance to answer as her anxiety built.

"I don't know. He started muttering something about energy and thermodynamic something and said he needed you."

"The first law of thermodynamics," Jemma whispered, setting her tea mug down and then bolting from the room.

Fitz heard her rapidly approaching footsteps and pushed himself shakily to his feet.

"Fitz?" Jemma burst into the lab, out of breath.

Fitz slowly began to walk towards her, "No energy in the universe is created and none-"

"None is destroyed," she finished.

"And every part of us now was once part of some other thing. A moon, a storm cloud, a mammoth," he continued, coming to a stop directly in front of her.

"A monkey."

"A monkey," he nodded.

"Fitz…"

"Jemma. I remember Jemma,"

"You remember?" Jemma tried to blink back her tears.

"I remember everything. Ward," he swallowed the bitter taste the name left in his mouth, "the med pod at the bottom of the ocean, doing what I had to do to get you out."

"You remember," she said in disbelief, tears now freely falling.

"And I remember that I love you," he finished, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "You are my best friend in the world, and I am helplessly in love with you."

Jemma sobbed and threw her arms around his neck. Her sudden weight against him knocked him off balance and he put one hand out on the handrails to catch them.

"I'm sorry!" Jemma tried to pull away when she realized he was still a little unsteady.

"Shhh," Leo pulled her back to him. "It's ok. It's ok Jemma," his words unintentionally echoing his words meant to comfort her at the bottom of the ocean. He felt her tears soak through his cardigan, "It's ok Jem," he whispered, his lips ghosting against her forehead before pressing a kiss to it.

"You remember."

"I remember," he assured her.

Jemma's eyes were bloodshot and glassy and her nose and cheeks were rosy from crying but to Leo she was never more beautiful.

"I'm hopelessly in love with you too," she mumbled into his neck.

"Glad to hear that," he teased as she lightly smacked his shoulder.

"Jemma," he moved his hands up to cradle her neck, pulling away slightly to meet her eyes.

Their eyes met and Fitz felt her bunch the fabric of his cardigan in her fists as he began to learn towards her, pulling him closer. He had a hard time dragging his eyes from the golden flecks in hers, but when her tongue darted out to wet her lips, his gaze dropped to her mouth.

"Jemma," he whispered before his eyes fluttered shut and she invaded his senses. He gently probed the seam of her lips with his tongue and she sighed into his mouth. She tasted vaguely like cherry chapstick and mint tea. She was everything he dreamed of and nothing like he remembered.

"I'm so sorry for what you had to go through these past few weeks," he was breathless as he tried to get his erratic heartbeat under control.

"Mmmm," Jemma moaned, her mouth searching for his again, "Less talking, more kissing."

Fitz was more than happy to oblige.

~Fini~ 


End file.
